Former Bucs Kicker Tynes reaches out of court settlement with team

One of the ugliest off-field battles ever waged between an NFL player and the Buccaneers has been resolved.

Kicker Lawrence Tynes, who sued the Bucs for $20 million after a MRSA infection ended his career, has reached a settlement with the team.

“The matter has been resolved,’’ Tynes agent, Ken Harris, wrote in a text message to FloridaFootballInsiders.

Tynes lawsuit was scheduled to be heard in August but the two sides agreed to dismiss the suit, according to Hillsborough County Court records. The Buccaneers had been seeking dismissal of the lawsuit arguing for a “summary judgement” in court in December, which Tynes’ side successfully fought off at that time.

The agreement brings an end to an ugly chapter in Bucs history that began when Tynes contracted MRSA before the start of the 2013 season.

Tynes was one of three Bucs players (former guard Carl Nicks and former corner back Johnthan Banks were the others) to contract MRSA that season but the Bucs argued that Tynes could not prove he was infected only after joining the team. He was placed on the “Non-Football Injury” list by the team and was paid the league minimum of $905,000 that year.

Tynes played nine previous seasons with the Chiefs and Giants, kicking the game winning OT field goal in both NFC Championship wins (San Francisco in 2012 above) and eventually, winning two Super Bowls with New York. Then, Tynes signed with the Bucs as a free agent in 2013, but he never kicked for the team.

Now, 38 and after multiple surgeries, Tynes has never kicked in the NFL, again.